| title | layout |
|---|---|
Introduction to Further Applications of Trigonometry |
page |
class="introduction"
class="key-equations" title="Key Equations"
class="key-concepts" title="Key Concepts"
class="review-exercises" title="Review Exercises"
class="practice-test" title="Practice Test"
class="try"
class="section-exercises"
{: #Figure_08_00_001}
The world’s largest tree by volume, named General Sherman, stands 274.9 feet tall and resides in Northern California.1{: data-type="footnote-link"} Just how do scientists know its true height? A common way to measure the height involves determining the angle of elevation, which is formed by the tree and the ground at a point some distance away from the base of the tree. This method is much more practical than climbing the tree and dropping a very long tape measure.
In this chapter, we will explore applications of trigonometry that will enable us to solve many different kinds of problems, including finding the height of a tree. We extend topics we introduced in Trigonometric Functions{: .target-chapter} and investigate applications more deeply and meaningfully.
- {: data-type="footnote-ref" #footnote1} 1{: data-type="footnote-ref-link"} Source: National Park Service. "The General Sherman Tree." http://www.nps.gov/seki/naturescience/sherman.htm. Accessed April 25, 2014. {: data-list-type="bulleted" data-bullet-style="none"}